Issues

Themes, themes, themes. Deciding the themes we select for HIV Nursing can be an arduous task. Over the past 11 years we have exhausted many avenues, but surprisingly we’ve never really hit upon drugs and alcohol.

Welcome to the autumn issue of HIV Nursing. As I write this editorial, the NHIVNA annual conference seems a distant memory. It is always inspirational to come across like-minded nurses in the same field sharing their expertise and knowledge, and innovative ideas.

The term ‘homelessness’ is interpreted in a variety of ways, depending on perspective and context. The definition which is generally accepted
within healthcare settings includes rough sleepers and those in temporary accommodation such as hostel dwellers, couch surfers and squatters.

Maxine RadcliffeLondon Network of Nurses and Midwives Homelessness Group

Despite advances in HIV medicine people living with HIV (PLWH) continue to face many physical challenges. As the natural history of HIV infection evolves and with an ageing cohort, bone health and disease should be an important consideration for healthcare professionals working in this field.

Approximately 25% of HIV-positive adults accessing care in the UK are aged over 50 years. Due to the success of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), people living with HIV now have a life expectancy that is only slightly shorter than people who are not infected.Many drug users who were infected in the mid-1980s, but survived due to the introduction of ART, are now in this age bracket.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne virus that can cause both acute and chronic infection. In Scotland, it is well known that the main transmission route of HCV is through drug use and a study into prevalence of HCV in Her Majesty’s Prisons (HMPs) in Scotland showed that 53% of intravenous drug users (IVDU) tested were antibody positive.
HIVN 2015; 15: 3-7